Author Archives: jtc5148

10 Things They Never Tell You About Studying Abroad


Abstract: Read each sub heading

 

1)    It Gets Better… After Getting Worse: When you first arrive, it is exciting and you can’t wait to plunge into things. But then a feeling of “is this it?” may creep its way into your mind. You may feel like you are back in freshman year, having to start all over without any of the friends you have already passed this phase with back home. It may be challenging settling down and many things may frustrate you, from the simple things such as trying to charge your phone while your laptop is charging and realizing you just have one outlet converter to feeling nobody is understanding your sense of humor or sarcasm. No worries! It gets better. Go at your own pace as everybody’s experience differs. Hint at support if you need any. Sometimes just receiving a piece of home in the mail, whether in the form of homemade banana bread or something so common as your favorite hairspray, unavailable abroad is enough to keep you going. It’s the little things…

 

2)    You Get Sick: Homesick, yes, but you also get SICK-physically. I remember being sick about 3 times during the term. A headache, a cough and sore throat come around more often than they did for me back home. Going out a single night without a scarf had me waking myself up with the crackle of my own cough. Moral of the story: dress appropriately and expect to get sick at least once. I am no doctor but I know your body is adapting to a new environment. If you are on any special meds, don’t forget them.

 

3)    The Course Load Can Weigh In Heavy: When people talk about their study abroad experience, they tend to omit the studying and talk about the experience abroad. Although you want to travel and make the most of your experience, remember the primary reason you are there is to study. WATCH OUT for people from other institutions whose work abroad does not factor in towards their overall GPA. The amount of fun they are having can be misleading! Make sure you always get your work done first, just as you would back home. Just because it is abroad makes the work no less serious.

4)    You Get Lost: Self-explanatory. Even when in groups, always have a map handy. Personally, I always had 3 but always got lost regardless. Also, leave your location giving yourself twice as much time as googlemaps may claim you need so you are not late to events.

 

5)    People Are People No Matter Where You Go:  Don’t think everyone loves Americans, don’t think everyone hates us either. Some are absolutely in love with our accents and culture while others think we have no culture and find our accents repulsive and flat. There are different kinds of people in different races and different countries, so don’t think one persons actions are a reflection of a nation of people. Every country has the good the bad and the ugly. Even outside America, there are the nice ones, weird ones and the douche bags.  And just like back home, you won’t get along with everyone, so don’t worry about it.

 

6)    There Are Expenditures Beyond Tuition: The tuition may seem like the main study abroad obstacle, but you will spend money on trips, groceries, books, and remember the conversion rate. The conversion rate KILLED my pockets in the UK! Before leaving, be sure to call your bank and inquire about the international charges or if they have a branch abroad. If you are there for less than 6 months, they generally don’t let you create a bank account in you host country, so spend wisely. Withdraw enough to sustain you for the week to avoid constant ATM charges. Also, remember to check your bank statement EVERY evening. I got a miscellaneous $80 charged on my account that I am still in the process of figuring out. Since you are abroad, unfamiliar acronyms appear on your statement and at the end of the day your purchases are still fresh on your mind.

 

7)    You will meet a lot of people, but won’t know as many: In the midst of everything, remember to meet people and get to know a few of them. Take time to build a relationship with people so that they are more than a familiar face on campus or on facebook. I remember meeting a guy (turn friend, turn college husband) at a speed meeting event one day and another day staying up talking with him till 2am. After my program ended, I visited his family in Southampton and now we chat whenever we get a chance. Another friend of mine and I met on the very first day and then I didn’t see her in weeks. One day I ran into her, we went to hall together, went partying together and one night, she and I walked all the way to Dominos to put our coupons to use as we nonchalantly looked out for Emma Watson. While there are many who I can barely put a name to a face without the help of facebook, there are a good few whom I know as people and share memories with. Don’t try to hang out with everyone at once and do not let the only place you hang out with people be at the club or at the movies, because it is difficult to get to know them in such environments. I personally liked stopping by peoples’ rooms or grabbing a meal with them.

 

8)    Life back home goes on: Here’s the sad truth. You’ll miss birthdays, MLK Day, Thanksgiving, anniversaries, historical events, etc. It is hard to catch up, especially with the difference in time zones. Upon your return, you may have to re-socialize into your previous social groups, but that is ok. Do yourself a favor: Don’t sit behind your laptop feeling nostalgic as you click through people back homes’ pictures on facebook. Chances are they wish they were in your shoes so live in the moment and try your best to enjoy the here and now. I remember it killed me the morning I heard Joe Pa was fired. I heard it over chattering at breakfast and it took everything in me not to log on to facebook (shamefully my primary source of news after twitter) as I had an essay due in 4 hours. I knew even though I loved Joe Pa, he was not going to type this essay and even though I cared about the safety of everyone in the midst of the riots, the essay was not going to write itself. I had to put aside all my thoughts of my Alma Mater, concentrate on what was important and accept the harsh fact that I could not be there to support my university. (Then again, when you think about it, what could I actually do even if I were there.)

Another point under this heading is that you should remember to keep in touch with your academic advisor. As I mentioned, life continues, therefore do not forget to schedule your courses for the next semester, to settle any housing contracts you plan on signing for the next semester and to ensure that upon your return, your academic standing enables you to graduate on time. Also inquire what you will need to do to be sure of timely grade conversion. Remain in the center of your academic business.

 

9)    You Can’t do it all: I am the queen of telling people to get involved and meet people and do stuff and travel etc etc but I think even more important is to remember that you can’t do it all. I remember saying I was going to attend every single activity listed for fresher’s week but there comes a point when you are physically and mentally drained of meeting new people and making a melody out of the recitation of who you are, where you are from and what you are studying. When that point comes, it is vital that you eliminate any form of guilt of “missing out” on anything and respect your body enough to give it time to rejuvenate. If you fail to do so, well you may find yourself on a slippery slope where you physically begin to fall ill, your grades begin to slip, you therefore will be a cranky socializer then you will start feeling homesick, and end up having a horrible study abroad experience and wishing you had stayed home. All this to say: Slow down! 🙂

 

10) You WILL have a good time*: (They tell you this, but let me reiterate) When things get rough, you may begin to second-guess everything. Maybe you chose the wrong program? The wrong country? Maybe you aren’t going to have that life-changing experience? Maybe you should have saved more money? The answer: oh well. It is what it is, so make the most of it and once you stop worrying and start living, before you know it, the best experience of you college career will be over and you will wish you could start over.

I wish you nothing but the best. I had an AMAZING time abroad (The highlights of my experience are coming up in my next entry) and I sincerely hope that the only negatives you are bringing back from your trip are those from your old school camera or none at all. I wish every student could experience studying abroad, but if you can’t, at least Geobloggers are there for you to live vicariously through us. Safe travels to all studying abroad in the Spring.

 

*This excludes the negative Nates and Nancies who complain about the weather, the workload, the food and the people and spend extended periods of time in their rooms skyping all their friends at home, while not participating in life around them. Sorry, can’t guarantee happiness for you. Actually, I can’t guarantee this for anyone.


Location: Oxford, England

A Very English Thanksgiving

This is coming in a few months late, but at the time, I was too busy with the workload to worry about blogging about my Thanksgiving experience. I am all done now, and here it is! Thanksgiving this year was obviously not spent in Lancaster PA with my second family, however it still consisted of well-cooked turkey, cranberry sauce and perhaps a third family? With a bonus of champagne.

I think I speak for most of us American visiting students in saying that Catz was very thoughtful and kind in organizing a thanksgiving supper for us, as we were away from home. The Dean, and the Master among other administrators were not obliged to celebrate this American holiday, but did so and did it well. We began the evening at the Senior Common Room, having some drinks with the Master and casually chatting with our peers. We then abandoned our glasses of champagne and/or orange juice and went over to the dinning hall where we were served a delightful traditional meal. Turkey, green beans, red wine, cranberry sauces, etc and topped it off with a delicious pecan pie for dessert. At the end of the table, a group of us decided to keep American tradition alive and go around the table, stating what we are thankful for. Family was one that got mentioned a good number of times and while it sounds like a clich�, I think it had a lot more meaning at that table that night than it did at any other point. There we were, a group of students, none of whom had known each other prior to taking the huge risk to study abroad. We were out of our comfort zones and away from our families and loved ones, however, we had somehow managed to find a new family amongst each other and create a home away from home in St. Catz.

Thumbnail image for Thanksgiving Meal

The Dean gave a great speech addressing this towards the end of the dinner that put everything into perspective. As an Irish man away from home himself, he related to how we may had been feeling. And although Brynne was unable to make her Jell-o thanksgiving special (because apparently, there is no jell-o in the UK! *GASP*) we were able to form new Thanksgiving traditions so that if ever we should all be in the same area again during the season, we would know how to celebrate it in our own way and while stating what we are thankful for, we will be sure to include our experience at Oxford University, and more specifically, St. Catherine’s college.

PSU Crew I

The PSU Crew at Catz


Location: Oxford, England

A Week in My Life as a Visiting Student

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To better understand this blog entry and also merely for the fun of learning, I will introduce you to some of the vocabulary I found commonly used around college:

For the record, breakfast is from 8:15-8:45 every morning except Saturdays and Lunch is from 12:45-1:30 everyday.

Scaf is an informal canteen-style dinner every night from 6:00-6:45 before formal hall, which will be referred to as simply hall in this entry

Kip– Nap ex: I am going to take a kip

x– Kiss They tend to sign their texts with one or several of these X’s that startled me at first, but now I think I will adopt the habit! X

ATS– Alternative Tuck Shop

Hassan’s– A food truck on the Broad Street. Apparently, it is Catz tradition to grab food from here upon return from a night out

Hasan's










JCR– Junior Common Room. A lounge area with a bar and a mini game room on one side, as well as a TV on the other. Usually the meeting spot for crews to head out for the night.

Lodge– Porter’s lodge. It’s like a front desk to the college. The people are very nice and helpful inside and students usually meet outside to head to events located outside the college.

Pigeon Hole– Mailbox. At any given moment Hedwig does indeed fly in with a letter from Hogwarts.
Tramp– A bum or homeless person Question: If Ross tells Hilary he never made it in the club because he was talking to some tramps outside, should Hilary get upset, splash her glass of wine at him and never talk to him again? Answer: Nope. He was doing a good deed and talking to homeless people, as opposed to women working the streets, as we Americans would think.

Essay Crisis– The birth child of procrastination and Facebook. It’s the last minute preparation for an essay due in a few hours, or minutes in some cases.

Blunder– Mistake/error

Sub Fusc– Gowns worn on very formal occasions

Quid– Pounds, how we say “bucks” instead of dollars. Funny story, for the longest time, I thought they were saying squid and I wondered silently why in the world these people had so many squids!

Fag– Slang for cigarette ex: Can I bum a fag. Translation: Could I borrow a cigarette?

Staircase– Synonymous for US dorm. Not literally the staircase, but the entire building. Staircases are numbered as opposed to ex: at UP where the dorms have names: ex: Brill Hal of Eastview Terrace.

MONDAYS

1) Breakfast  – 8 items for 2 quid (About 3 bucks) is not bad at all

2) Essay crisis

3) Lunch

4) Essay Crisis

5) Secondary tutorial every other week for an hour at St. Hugh’s college (It was such a hike!)

6) Usually go for a Law or any other society event at another college

7) Hall or Scaf depending on the menu

8) Evening visits to Friends’ staircases

9) Try to catch people online on Skype

10) Somehow fall asleep

TUESDAYS

1) Wake Up

2) Library

3) Repeat act #2 for Acts number 4,5 and 6

7) Lunch

8) 3-5PM Attend an optional lecture for PIL (Public International Law)

9) Hall

10) Repeat Monday’s activities after hall

WEDNESDAYS

1) Library all day. Literally

THURSDAYS

1) Wake up at 6: ESSAY CRISIS

2) Breakfast

3) ESSAY CRISIS

4) Submit Essay for primary tutorial

5) Lay there with the weight of the world lifted form my shoulders

6) Skype

7) Lunch

8)Return library books and get new ones for the next essay

9) Linger around till hall

10) Eat and linger some more

FRIDAY

1) Lunch

2) Library

3) Run errands

4) Choir Practice

5)Hall

Hall

6) Find out what everyone’s doing and join them. (Usually going to the club: WAHOO, which I hate)

Between Saturday and Sunday, I would go to church, go to basketball practice, go out, study and work on Monday’s essay, catch up with news back home, etc. During most of the free time I had, I was able to attend a few events hosted by my subject’s societies. I also seized the opportunity to make use of the Career Services by attending career fairs and having my resume looked over.

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen; a quick and broad look into a week in my life at Oxford. Let me know if there are any vocab words I left out or misunderstood or anything of that sort. Till next time,

Cheers!

PS: Special thanks George for the vocab tips! Xx

 Random pic of Cornmarket St. Oxford.

Cornmarket St.


Location: Oxford, England

Picture Blog

Here is the picture blog I promised a while back. I had some technical difficulties with my camera/laptop both having run out of memory space, but things are fine now. Thanks for asking.
Unfortunately, I am only allowed to upload a limited number of pictures per blog.

Inside Balliol CollegeBalliol 2IMG_1837.JPGBalliol 3College 1

IMG_1842.JPG

The ceiling of Balliol college Chapel

Balliol College Quad

A Window in the Chapel


Location: Oxford, England

La Vie En Rose

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ABSTRACT

A beautiful flowing piece of pink satin fabric with a few taints made by challenging tutorials, cold weather, instability at Penn State and a financial tank on E would describe week 5 at Oxford. I am writing this (the old school way) on my train back from Paris, where I spent the weekend completely astounded by all the beauty compressed into a single city.But coming back from my vie en rose, it dawned on me that I was coming back to bedlam. The essays, the studying, the overwhelmingly large textbooks I occasionally comprehend and the unwelcome visit of bees in my room were all awaiting me. And before I got to the complaining, I realized how much of a blessing in fact it is. If you don’t take away from anything I just typed, remember this: focus on the bigger picture.

                                                       ***

A beautiful flowing piece of pink satin fabric with a few taints made by challenging tutorials, cold weather, instability at Penn State and a financial tank on E would describe week 5 at Oxford. But while life has not been painted in a constant shade of rosy pink, the minor distortions are not worth complaining about. So let’s focus on the positives. Under this category falls the simple notion that it is WEEK 6 ALREADY! I don’t know how to feel about this. Just 3 more weeks and it’s all over; the experience that took me months to prepare for will be over. I really miss my family and Penn State, but I’m not sure I am ready to leave all the wonderful things, people and places I have encountered here, FOR (possibly) EVER! O.o . LouvreI’m honestly not even sure if Penn State will have the same vibe and warmth when I get back. Things have changed, people have changed, how easy will it be for me to squeeze back into a comfortable place upon my return? At the same time, no matter the vibe, it is my Alma Mater and something about it just draws me back, so I am ready to go….kind of…I don’t know if I am ready to leave this close and convenient location on the globe that gives me direct access to a myriad  of cultures.

I am writing this (the old school way) on my train back from Paris, where I spent the weekend completely astounded by all the beauty compressed into a single city. On more than one occasion, songs by �dith Piaf, or La M�me Piaf (the little Sparrow) as some may now her, played softly in the background like a soundtrack to my dreamy perfect French experience. Fortunately, over the summer, (as if I knew) I had watched her autobiography, La Vie En Rose, from which I cleverly borrowed the title of this entry and named after one of her most popular songs. You may have come across her song Je ne Regrette Rien that was featured in the movie Inception apparently (I am yet to watch the movie). Anyway, putting aside the tips of the French culture, it was such an amazing experience. Going to the Louvre Museum I must say was one of the most meaningful things I have ever done. As a child in Africa several years ago, staring at a picture in a book of this beautiful mysterious place in the world I never imagined ever having the chance to live out the experience and with patience and perseverance, when I least expected it, I was at this place, soaking in the breathtaking beauty. In addition to that, I visited the Eiffel tower and went to the 2nd floor (the top was closed), L’arc de Triomphe de l’�toile, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Walked along the Champs–�lys�es and ate crepes. Something about all the monuments makes you feel so small and not necessarily insignificant, but a part of something so much bigger than yourself- this world. The buildings, especially the arc, are so large, so concrete, so strong and make you seem so fragile, delicate and protected almost. I would definitely recommend the trip for anyone on the fence about.

Eiffel TowerBut coming back from my vie en rose, it dawned on me that I was coming back to bedlam. The essays, the studying, the overwhelmingly large textbooks I occasionally comprehend and the unwelcome visit of bees in my room were all awaiting me. And before I got to the complaining, I realized how much of a blessing in fact it is. Education in this world is a privilege and most definitely Oxford is a great one. I realized the opportunity to travel ANYWHERE on a weekend, in a safe country, with change in my pocket, food to eat and friends for company is a blessing. I was always taught to count my blessings and the moral of the story, or I guess this entry would be to count yours. Many of us are saddened by recent happening at Penn State and by excessive homework, perhaps sick relatives and I am pretty sure we are not living la vie en rose. In fact, so few of us are meanwhile we can all be.

If you don’t take away from anything I just typed, remember this: focus on the bigger picture. Every week (sometimes twice a week, when I have 2 tutorials) I stress over my essay. I focus on the word count, the structure, the argument and then I have to stop and think about the purpose of all this. I look at the bigger picture. I have 12 essays in total for one semester’s worth of grades out of 8 semesters total. I want to graduate with good grades because I want to go to law school, get a good job, start a family, etc. 20 years from now will I even remember this day? Is it worth stressing so much on or should I just relax, finish it and prepare better for the next one? Some may argue the contrary and while philosophies on life are subjective, a common denominator for most is that at the end of this rollercoaster we call life, we all want to be able to look back at all our deeds and experiences and think je ne regrette rien.


Location: Paris, France

We Are…Smart?

Abstract

The Million Dollar Question: Are we smart because we are at Oxford or at Oxford because we are smart?

My second week at Oxford has come to an end so far; both my essays have received good reviews, which made my week. I have managed to attend meetings and events for a number of societies on campus and simply joining the societies in your area helps significantly reduce the cost of taking advantage of this opportunity. I have been finding the overall environment. One word: lovely. The people, the places, the vibe. Everyone seems so down to earth and normal it is easy to forget I am at the best university in the world. From walking over to Domino’s at night for a free pizza to staying up chatting till 2 am, I’d say these students are just your average college students at a not-so-average college.

——-

 Due to the feedback I received from a loyal follower of my blog, I inserted an abstract section at the beginning so that my not so loyal followers can have a feel for what the entry is talking about without actually having to read my “too-long” blog post. Bodelian Library

 

In between the two essays I have had to type up this week, which both got good reviews, (yay me!) I have managed to attend meetings and events for a number of societies on campus. I am yet to attend a Law Society event, which I should considering the fact that I am a member and paid a significant sum of money for the membership. I have been to African Caribbean Society events, as well as PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics, the course I am studying) events and even joined the choir. These have all been healthy distractions as well as huge networking opportunities for me. The number of international businesses and successful personnel that come to the university is insane and simply joining the societies in your area helps significantly reduce the cost of taking advantage of this opportunity. At the pub last week, I was talking to a girl who is in her final year and got a job offer from one of the top law firms in London. They are saving the position for her till after her graduation and return from a year of learning Portuguese in Brazil, which they are sponsoring. Sometimes, it is not even at career fairs that the most important networking is made, but simply at society events, which are advantageous due to the smaller setting.

 

Oxford University PressOn another note, I’m going to talk a little bit about health. Everyone is sick. It is like the cough intervals in a lecture hall have a melodic tune to them and I find it hilarious, and slightly concerning. Apparently it is the Fresher’s Flu that happens every year at around this time, so it is nothing to be worried about. 

 

I am going on my official Oxford tour tomorrow morning, so I am sorry folks, but you will have to wait till next week for more exclusive topnotch pictures. So with lack of scenery to discuss, I will briefly talk about how I have been finding the overall environment. One word: lovely. The people, the places, the vibe. It’s different and it is lovely. Let’s focus on the people: the locals have been really nice and I cannot count the number of times people have just glanced at a lost look on my face and asked me if I needed directions, without me having to approach them. My tutors have been flexible to my needs and very gentle in their criticism, which is good for my feeble heart! Everyone seems strict and firm, but with good intentions. It’s tough love out here. The students are friendly, especially here at St. Catz. I have noticed when around members of other colleges, the comradery among sports groups, such as the rowing and rugby teams have more bromances than romances going on. Maybe because we are in different colleges and such, but I definitely think St. Catz are more approachable and friendly and therefor Oxford’s cool catz. Everyone seems so down to earth and normal it is easy to forget I am at the best (according to Joyce T. Chuinkam’s rankings) university in the world. From walking over to Domino’s at night for a free pizza to staying up chatting till 2am, I’d say these students are just your average college students at a not-so-average college. This has led me to do some thinking lately, resulting in the million dollar question (�633,400 <—That conversion rate is the only thing I hate about being American right now).

 

MatriculationAre we smart because we are at Oxford or at Oxford because we are smart? Before you roll your eyes thinking the later is obvious, think about the former. Could being in an environment where you are labeled “smart” without having to say a word push you to live up to your title? Do professors assume you are smart and therefore challenge and push you in ways other universities dare not? Does your exposure to a new world of opportunities, challenges and great resources significantly enhance your thinking abilities? Would it be the same at any other university? Finally, would any Tom, Dick or Harry ace essays on Spanish democracy and international law if they were simply blessed with the Oxfordian resources and luxuries? One on one tutorials, lectures by experts and world renown professors, house keeping 3 times a week, etc. I walked into a store today and read this quote on an Oxford postcard:

 

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ~ William A. Ward

 

 

This got me thinking: are we all born with potential but some the opportunities to maximize it and others not? Or is it all about self-discipline and hard work? Does how we are socialized really have an impact on our academic performance? Maybe that builds the study skills and mental environment for success? Is Oxford such a great university because it educates the best of the best or because it employs the best of the best? Feel free to comment, message, text, Skype, facebook and NOT Yahoo! Messenger me (because nobody uses that anymore). I am curious to see what people think about this. 

 

This ran a little longer than I expected, but on the brightside, hunger no more! I left you all some food for thought!

 

Till next week,

Joyce.

 

PS: Is it wrong that everyday I grab my fully charged camera on my way out with the hopes of running into Emma Watson. Laugh all you want, but better safe than sorry!

**Pictures of the Bodleian Library, matriculation, and the Oxford University Press at night.


Location: Oxford, England

Dominus Illuminatio Mea

Oxford I

I just completed my first week at Oxford University, St. Catherine’s College. One word I could use to describe it: Amazing. It has been so much fun and I have met amazing people who all seem so simple and normal but have the most developed thinking skills I have come across in years. I just completed Fresher’s Week, which was pretty much the ideal Fresher’s week I never had my freshman year. It was a week full of costume parties, performances, meetings, tours, dancing, bar tours, and bonding over drinks at the pub. Honestly, it’s been tough for someone who likes to do it all. Receiving on average 10 emails a day containing series of events presenting numerous opportunities for socializing and involvement, it is tempting to want to be up all night, meeting new people and have to wake up bright and early to meet more new people. I tried that lifestyle, but fell sick within 2 days and needless to say I backed out of the fast lane. On a more serious note, fresher’s week consisted of meeting with the Master, the Dean, tutors (professors) and other faculty that will assist me throughout my stay here

Oxford II

Oxford VIIIncase you are unfamiliar with the Oxford University system, as I was up until very recently, I will give you a quick overview. The University is no one particular building. There is no “main campus” either. The university consists of 38 self-governing colleges across the city of Oxford. I personally think St. Catherine’s college is the best, however, if you are looking for older architecture and a traditional feel to things, Catz(as we call it) will not be the one for you, seeing as it is the most recently built college. I have a primary and secondary tutorial: my primary tutorial is Public International Law at Balliol College and my secondary tutorial is European Democracies at St. Hughes College. With my BOD (ID) card, I have access to almost all Oxford University resources. Individual college libraries, for instance. are exclusive to the members of that college. Once I week I meet with my primary tutor for an hour and once every two weeks, I meet with my secondary tutor for an hour. Each time we meet, I have an essay of about 2000-2500 words due and during the tutorial we are to discuss the paper, which serves as a means to an end as opposed to an end in of itself. I have not had any tutorials yet, so I cannot tell you exactly how they go, but I will be sure to inform you about them. And so you may be wondering, for all my critically thinking readers, what then do you do the rest of the week Joyce? Well I am about to tell you what I do throughout the week, or what I am expected to do. There are lectures offered at various colleges on various topics throughout the week that I am not required to attend, however, I am expected to attend in order to better understand the materials I am using for the essay topic I am tackling that week. Tutors have made it clear that they are not necessarily the ones giving the lectures, and neither are they keeping track of whether or not you attend any, so this is completely optional and up to the student. The lectures are similar to what we would call “classes” except they are run by someone different from the person grading your work. It seems however, that regular students are required to attend the lectures and take them very seriously. Besides those lectures, studying required readings in the library, and typing up my essay, I do not think much more is expected of me.

Oxford IIII


On to the fun stuff! Is St. Catz like Harry Potter? No. Are there other colleges like Harry Potter? Yes. I have not visited them yet, but I have every intention to. Each college seems to have it’s own vibe and I want to experience it in part before I leave. Another question you may have: have I met Emma Watson yet? No I have not. Apparently she is indeed here at a college I cannot disclose to you for confidentiality reasons. Apparently she is an active visiting student attending fresher’s events and such, but that is just word on the street, I have no evidence to back that up. And finally, if you were wondering about the tradition and such, yes we have to stand up in silence in the dinning hall when the master and other elders walk in. We also have to wait for the master to hit the gavel and for those on the high table to sit before we can sit and are served our 3-course meals. Unlike the University College, and other colleges, we do not have to say grace in Latin prior to meals; however, the master does utter a few words in the language before he slams the gavel down.

Oxford VIIIThose of you who know me know that I strongly believe in getting involved on campus, and honestly, I am having a harder time doing that here as both a visiting and single-term student. A lot of organizations require membership fees, which cover you for anywhere between a year and a life time, but this is not beneficial to me. Also, because there is not much of a point getting involved on a campus I will only be attending for roughly two months, I find myself getting highly involved with the athletic organizations, such as basketball and football (soccer). All in all, it has been great, it has been fun, it has been different. The architecture is different; the people are not at all as uptight as I assumed they would be. The British accent is very easy to pick up on, and in case you are wondering, Dominus Illuminatio Mea, means the Lord is My Light and it is our Oxford University motto.

**Pictures: I included several pictures in this post, of the various colleges so that you can see for yourself how each college has a different feel to it and you can also get a feel for the town itself. I ran around taking the pictures today and at some point lost track of which picture was of which college. Check out the university website for a more detailed take on things.Oxford III**

Look forward to next week’s post-tutorial sessions/week II post!

Oxford V

Location: Oxford, England

Never Can Say Goodbye…or Can I

The Tower Bridge

Cheese Chocolate and Jogging

The three things I have fallen in love with since I’ve been in Europe. I can’t seem to understand why or how, but being here sets new habits. I am proud of just one of my new-found joys -jogging. I never knew how peaceful and relaxing it could be to jog. Recently I have been going to Hyde Park at sunset and enjoying the beauty of the area with just me, myself and I(pod). It has become such a part of me; I will miss it dearly when I leave for Oxford tomorrow (Tuesday 03/10/11). Rumor has it however, that Oxford has beautiful green space where I can implement my jogging skills, so that is definitely something I look forward to, unlike the course load. Speaking of course load, while academia deserves its own entire blog post, I will quickly hint that things have been tough and show no signs of looking up any time soon. On the bright side, I have been showing signs of stepping up, so that is always good.

Buckingham Palace


It’s been three weeks since I came to London and knowing that it is all coming to an end on Tuesday is bittersweet. Bitter because I got so accustomed to the underground, the environment and the luxuries in Chelsea are definitely something I can get used to.  It felt so good to finally know where I am going, and how to get there, despite the numerous times I got lost jogging. It is an even greater feeling to have the fire of ambition I see in everybody else’s eye as they drag briefcases or click their heels up and down the tube station (Tube is what they call subway, FYI) reflected in my own.  I will miss looking out my window into the eye of London and not be able to make two subway stops without landing at a touristic site; from the Buckingham palace on the Victoria line, to the billboards of Trafalgar Square.

The sweet part of it all is that while my mates have been in school for the last month and a half, my classes haven’t started at Oxford yet and I am beyond ready to get the ball rolling. You may be wondering “then what did she mean in the first paragraph about things being tough” and so here is your answer. During the last three weeks, we the students of the Oxford program have been taking a tutorial (class) at the IES center. This counts for 3 of the 15 credits we will achieve during this trip abroad. The tutorial is taught by a lecturer and has a maximum of about 3 students, so it is very intimate. This is also a gradual grooming into the UK educational system that will hopefully help us adjust in Oxford. With that said, I cannot wait to be in the college environment again. I can’t wait to be the busy bee I love to be, involved with several organizations, living on campus, meeting locals and just being able to mentally establish myself to the proper mindset. This is a school I read about in books and saw clips of in movies, but never in a million years would have ever imagined myself attending, whether it be for a day or a semester. Big Ben

In between my mixed emotions on leaving London, a set of emotions I am certain about, are those I feel towards my Alma Mater. I miss Penn State. Some Penn Staters in the program and I went to see the PSU v. Alabama game at a pub in London and it was amazing. There were PSU alumni from classes dating back to the 90’s all together under one roof; watching, chatting, cheering. There was an instant bond of talks of THON, Old main lawn, Artsfest. The alumni relying on us as current students to bring in the latest scoop and as they listened, you could see the nostalgia translating through their eyes.  I realized I have something they want; I attend Penn State. What a beautiful thing to be part of such greatness. The experience made me want to get so much more out of my final semester when I return. We are...Penn State



Location: London, Oxford

Are We There Yet?

IMG_0282.JPGTouch down! Finally! It’s been about 24hrs since I left home for the airport in Montreal. Note to travelers: Be sure to have at least a 2hr interval between connecting flights, buses, or any means of transportation. Or else…bad things may happen. I missed the only flight from Brussels to Manchester today because my flight from Montreal was delayed. Now I didn’t mind being in Brussels, especially after Air Canada was able to find a spot for me with another airline. What sucked was:

A) Being given the run-arounds throughout the airport for airline information
B) I missed my flight by 5 minutes and had to wait another 8 hours for my next flight.

On to the better parts of my voyage; never underestimate the PSU network. I was at the airport in Montreal, sporting my PSU hat when one of the workers asked me if I attended Penn State. He explained that he was a huge fan and his friend, who happens to be an alum, got them tickets to the Ohio game this year. He was really excited about it, and I was excited for him! Be nice to him Nittany Lions!

Tip #2 for travelers: Get your send-off entourage to come with an extra piece of luggage in case you have excess luggage, so they can go back with it, instead of you having to throw anything away. It is also advisable to arrive a lot earlier to the airport so that you will have time to weigh you baggage yourself, with one of their scales,  before check-in to avoid unpleasant surprises.
After the hugs and kisses from loved one, the second highlight of my trip was the boy I met from France who sat next to me from Montreal to Brussels. He spoke little English but with the French I could dig up from dusty armors in my mind, we ended up chatting for about 3hrs. Besides our matching phones (what a coincidence) and the fact that we both later missed our connecting flights, at the end of the day, we were just two students trying to make a change in our part of the world. I find it amazing how much two strangers can have in common and not even realize until a simple “hi” is uttered.

Tip #3 for travelers: One word- coins. You never know who you may need to call and when. Of course you can buy a calling card, or charge to your credit card, but when the conversation needs to only be quick and you can avoid a 3% charge on your card, why not? It may seem “old school” to carry around some local currency coins, when there is wi-fi and cellphones everywhere, but batteries do die, while coins last for centuries. Sometimes they are the best option.
All in all, faithful readers, here I am. In England. I won’t lie, hearing the first accent upon arrival, brought me to a giggle fit, and for the first couple of minutes, everything reminded me of Harry Potter, or Adele, or anything English in US pop culture. The right-hand driving and the antique pieces of art at the Trafford Center are all things I will get used to, as well as the very gloomy weather. We left the sunshine in Zurich and this is about the last glimpse of it I caught for you in this picture. The scenery from my seat on the plane was beautiful. When there were a few buildings in sight, everything appear as small as a dollhouse. It brought about humility, remembering how small I am in this big world, it was almost as if I had stepped in God’s shoes for 2 seconds, looking down on the world.

The Sky Is My Limit

Fun Fact: I watched Midnight in Paris. Interesting movie that got me appreciating the here and now.

Peace & Love Always.
Your First-Class ticket to the world beyond yourself. (For Free!)


Location: England

On My Way to England

I am not quite there yet, but it is close, and I feel it. Ever since I decided to study abroad, the paper work has not given it a chance to sink in: I am going to England.
Quick introduction, although some of you may recognize the name from the Liberal Arts blogging, here I am going to focus on my experience pre, during and post my study abroad experience. Hopefully when I get back, you will be able to tell from my posts how much I have changed and grown both as a person and as a student.
Many think Senior year is too late for study abroad and regret having missed out on the opportunity earlier in their college career, and so I am here to bring back hope to students who log on to the study abroad website their junior year and have their hearts drop to their stomachs as they realized the application deadline was just a few days ago.
I am a rising senior majoring in Political Science with a minor in International Studies. I love to travel and did not think merely spending a summer in a different country would give me enough of the diverse learning experience I have been craving since my sophomore year at Penn State. I wanted to fully immerse myself in the academic and social culture of my environment and for this reason, I chose to study abroad in the fall semester. Had it not jeopardized my attempt to graduate in Spring 2012, I would have committed to an entire year abroad, but seeing as I am somewhat late, I had to settle for a semester. On the brighter side, I know that life is what you make it, so should I go to England for a day or six years, the experience I get will only be as rich as I want it to be and therefore I will be making to most of this experience.
Being in a new country is not foreign to me and neither is meeting new people. If you knew a little bit of background, you would know that I have lived in New York, Cameroon and Canada in the last decade. I went off to boarding school when I was 11 and started college at 16. As a result, I homesickness and irresponsibility have no place in my vocabulary. This on the other hand is very different seeing as I do not have a sibling in the school (although I have a brother in Lancaster, England) and it is a country I have never been to before. I may need to rely on Skype a lot more than I have had to in the past.
I am glad to be able to share my experience with the world and as I finish up the paper work and get prepared for this life-changing experience, I will keep my blog in mind. As I apply for scholarships (I got one from my college-the Liberal Arts College!) and seek financial assistance for my trip, I will keep my blog in mind. Finally, when it gets to the point where I am booking flights, packing suitcases and stamping passports, I will be sure to channel the adrenaline to my blog, as I will keep it in mind.

Best Wishes,
Joyce T. Chuinkam-The traveler you can travel with anywhere-for free!


Location: State College, PA